Machine for sewing on buttons



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. MATHISON. MACHINE POB. SEWING 0N BUTTONS.

N0. 431,473. Pategnted July l, 1890.

MTA/5555.5.

14AM/MA FX2. ff'

. fwmf? Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and UNITED vSTATES l PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MATHISON, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR SEWING ON-BUTTONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 431,473, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed April 9 1889. Serial No. 306,549. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH MATHIsoN, of

State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Sewing on Buttons, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for sewing on shanked buttons-such as are used for button-boots; and it has particular relation to the type of machine shown in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 336,880, dated February 23, 1886.

The invention has for its object to simplify the means for supplying the buttons to the sewing mechanism; and to this end it consists in a button-chute adapted for attachment to the presser-foot of a button-sewing machine, and in the combination of a button-chute with said presser-foot and the co-operating ele` ments .of the stitch or loop-forming mechanism, the said chute being attached to the presser-foot and sufficiently shaken or agitated by the usual verticalmovements thereof to insure the downward feed or passage of the buttons to the point where they are engaged by the needle.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, Figure l represents a front elevation of a portion of a button-sewing machine having my improvement. Fig. 2 represents a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 represents an end elevation. Fig. 4 represents a section on line :c Fig. 2, looking downwardly. Fig. 5 represents a section on line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section of a portion of the buttonchute.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the iigures.

The machine shown in the drawings is identical in construction, excepting as to the button-supplying means, with that shown in Letters Patent No. 336,880, above referred to; and while I do not desire to be understood as limiting the employment of the hereinafterdescribed improvements to said machine I refer to said patent for a full description of the construction and operation of a good and practical machine to which my present improvements are applicable.

In the drawings, B represents the work-'supporting arm containing the thread-carrier and tension devices.

F. represents theneck or arm of the machine which supports the needle-bar F, the presserbar y', and the cast-off bar C, said neck or arm being located over the work-supporting arm.

The needle and cast-off bars are supported in a carrier, which is reciprocatedon guides or ways in the neck E to give the needle its Work-feeding movements. The presser-bar] is alternately pressed downward upon the work t-o hold the same upon the needle-plate D, and raised to release the Work by the mechanism described in the patent above referred to. The presser-foot 7c is afiixed to the presserbar j, and is composed of the arms 2 3', which are separated by a slot or way along which the needle moves in feeding the work and through which the buttons are moved by the needle, as described in said patent.

As already indicated, the parts thus far described are fully shown and described in the patent above mentioned, and a full description of their construction and operation is therefore deemed unnecessary.

In carrying out my invention I secure to the presser-foot a button chute or holder a, which stands in nearly a vertical position and holds a column of buttons. The chute has a longitudinal groove 8, formed to receive the heads of the buttons, and a slot 6, which receives and guides the shanks of the buttons. The chute has an ear or lug 9 projecting from its lower end, said ear being formed to bear on one side of the presser-foot and provided with a slot l0, through which passes a screw l2, which attaches the chute adjustably to the presser-foot. The lower ends of the headguiding groove 8 and of the shank-guiding slot 6 are curved at the lower end of the chute, so that the buttons, which are inserted in the chute and pass down the same with their Shanks or eyes in a vertical position, are turned by the said curved ends of the groove and slot until the eyes' of the buttons are substantially horizontal, the eyes being presented in said position to the needle.

13 represents a yielding spring, which is attached to the lower portion of the back of the chute and has its free end bent inwardly in position to bear against the head of the lowest button in the chute and prevent the IOO free escape of the same from the chute, said spring having suiiicient firmness to resist the pressure due to the weight of the column of buttons, but being' sufficiently yielding to permit the withdrawal of each butt-on by the feeding movement of the needle. The chute is located so that the eye of the lowest button arrested by the spring 13 stands in position to receive the needle when the same is descending prior -to its work-feeding movement, the point of the needle passing through the eye and then through the work.

The needle is operated to first draw a loop through the eye of the button and then a loop outside of the eye of the button and through the iirst loop, and then to move or feed the work, as described in the patent referred to, the last or work-feeding movement causing the thread loops, which now connect the lowest button, to pull the latter from the chute.

The general operation of securing the button to the material is the same as described in the patent above mentioned and need not` be here described. It will be seen that the chute attached directly to the presser-foot is shaken or jarred by the vertical movements of the latter sufficiently to force the lowest button to the point of presentation to the needle. The presser-foot is therefore made to perform a function for which in the machine shown in my former patent special mechanism was provided, said mechanism,as well as special devices for supporting the button guide or chute shown in said patent, being wholly dispensed with, greatly to the simplilication of the machine.

The buttons may be applied to the chute c1, by hand, one at a time, or in charges by a suitable loading device. I prefer to make the chute in two sections 2 3. The lower section 2 has the ear 9 and is attached, as described, to the presser-foot. The upper section 3 is detachable from the lower section and is provided at its lower end with a downwardly-projecting finger 30, which is inserted in a socket formed to receive it in the back of the section 2,V and is held in said socket by a plate 20 attached to the back of the section 2 and extending` across said socket. The section 3 is thus enabled to be readily removed froln and applied to the section 2, so that the section 3 may be loaded or charged with buttons at another place and then applied to the machine. A'spring 4 is applied to the section 3, said spring being arranged to project into the section 3 and engage the lowest button, thereby holding the column of buttons while the section 3is in transit. The spring may be withdrawn by any suitable means after the section 3 is vin place on the section 2.

I claim- 1. The combination, with the presser-foot, of a button-chute having a lateral ear or plate extending from the lower portion of the same, means for adjustably attaching said plate to the presser-foot, and stitch or loop forming mechanism for attaching the button to the fabric or other material, all as set forth.

2. The combination, with the presser-foot, of a button-chute having a lateral ear or plate extending from the lower portion of the same, means for adjustably attaching said plate to the presser-foot, a button-arresting spring at the lower end of said chute, and stitch 0r loop forming mechanism for attaching the button to the fabric or other material, all as set forth.

3. The button-chute consisting of two sections, havingthe continuous groove 8 and slot 6, the upper section being removably attached to the lower one and having an inwardly-projecting spring, and the lower section having the lateral slotted ear 9, which bears upon one side of the presser-foot and whereby the chute may be adjustably attached to the presser-foot, all substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

Ll The combination of a presser-foot, stitch or loop forming mechanism, and two buttonchute sections, the lower section being adj ustably attached to said presser-foot and the upper section being removably attached to the lower one and having an inwardly-projecting spring for retaining the lower-most button in said upper section, all as set forth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 29th day of March, A. D. 1889.

JOSEPH MATI-IISON. Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, A. D. HARRISON.

IOO 

